← UK Occupations
🇬🇧 UKSOC 2412· Business, Media and Public Service Professionals

Solicitors and lawyers

Solicitors advise and act on behalf of individuals, organisations, businesses and government departments in legal matters.

LawyerManaging clerk (qualified solicitor)SolicitorSolicitor-partnerSolicitor to the council
£53,314
median salary
£37,751 – £68,308
219,700
currently employed
239,398
projected 2035
Strong growth
5 tasks scored1 AI Automates2 AI Assists2 Human-Led

Task Bundle Breakdown

How AI interacts with this occupation's task bundle

20%
40%
40%
20%
AI automates
40%
AI assists
40%
Human-led

Task-by-Task Breakdown

Every task scored individually — sorted highest to lowest AI exposure

78

scrutinises statements, reports and legal documents relevant to the case being undertaken and prepares papers for court

AI Automates

AI platforms like Relativity, Luminance, and Kira Systems can rapidly review, flag, and summarise large volumes of documents and case papers, significantly reducing the time solicitors spend on due diligence and disclosure.

67

draws up contracts, leases, wills and other legal documents

AI Assists

AI tools like Harvey AI, Luminance, and Contract Express can draft standard contracts, leases, and wills from templates, but solicitors must review for client-specific nuances, jurisdiction compliance, and legal liability.

44

undertakes legal business on behalf of client in areas of business law, criminal law, probate, conveyancing and litigation, and acts as trustee or executor if required

AI Assists

AI can assist with research, document review, and procedural guidance across legal areas, but the strategic advice, client relationship management, and professional accountability remain firmly human responsibilities.

33

instructs counsel in higher and lower courts and pleads cases in lower courts as appropriate

Human-Led

AI can help prepare briefing notes and research case law for counsel, but the advocacy, courtroom judgment, and professional relationships involved in instructing and pleading remain inherently human skills.

22

represents clients in court

Human-Led

Court representation requires real-time human judgment, advocacy, reading the room, and professional standing that AI cannot replicate, though AI may assist with preparation and argument structuring beforehand.

ROI Calculator

Solicitors and lawyers

12.8hrs
saved per week
612hrs
per year ≈ 16.3 weeks
£18,127
salary-equivalent capacity freed per year

This is not a pay rise — it's 612 hours of productive capacity that AI could return to you, valued at your current rate.

£31,988
value at risk — 60% of role exposed to AI

The portion of your current salary tied to tasks AI can automate or augment. Not a prediction of job loss — a signal of where your role is changing fastest.

How is this calculated?▾

Task weights — each task is weighted by its O*NET frequency rating. Where frequency data is absent, equal weighting is applied.

AI time reduction — tasks scored as "AI Automates" assume 80% time saving; "AI Assists" assumes 40%; "Human-Led" assumes 5%.

Salary equivalent — annual hours saved × (salary ÷ 1,800 working hours/year).

Value at risk — salary × share of role time in AI-automate or AI-assist tasks.

Figures are indicative estimates for planning purposes, not guarantees of productivity gain or job loss risk.